2019

2020

Not in our lifetimes

personally, I and others I've come across online, have mixed feelings about the state of the wacom MSP, and its current capabilities.

waiting ages for wacom to fix most of the problems (especially with the pricier models) might not necessarily be the best strategy for some, so I thought I might as well wait for the next iteration, with all the feedback from current MSP users guiding its development process.

well.......when they launched the MSP1, my Cintiq Companion 2 suspiciously died.......I can't help but feel that should my MSP1 die......whenever that happens.....the MSP2 will be conveniently right around the corner.

Honestly between the pen improvements in the New Surface Pro (not 5), and the S-pen Samsung devices like the Notebook 9 Pro.......should my MSP die.....so long wacom.

well.......when they launched the MSP1, my Cintiq Companion 2 suspiciously died.......I can't help but feel that should my MSP1 die......whenever that happens.....the MSP2 will be conveniently right around the corner.

Honestly between the pen improvements in the New Surface Pro (not 5), and the S-pen Samsung devices like the Notebook 9 Pro.......should my MSP die.....so long wacom.

Click to expand...

Honestly, if there was perhaps a 16 inch version of the surface pro, I think I'd have given up on wacom by now.
screensize, power and affordability. it seems I can only choose two attributes when it comes to MSP and surface pro

Honestly, I don't think they should even bother with a MSP-2. At this point I 'd much rather Samsung buy a larger stake in Wacom and force them to focus solely on driver development and customer support, both of which are far more important than having the latest and greatest and which they are sorely lacking. Samsung can throw in some of their own guys to focus on making compelling hardware with reasonable prices instead, unlike Wacom.

When I can get more done on a Note and an iPro w/ Apple Pencil than I can on a Cintiq device from Wacom due to driver issues, you know there's a problem.

I know first hand the problems in dealing with Wacom Support. Yet I have one major problem and that is I need barrel rotation capability in my stylus for the work I do with Corel Painter. And right now only Wacom's Art Pen can do that. Once this problem is solved and third party developers offer barrel rotation then I can use an alternative to Wacom.

Theory: It will have a lifespan more like the Companion 1 (about 2 - 2.5 years). The thing is, this device is still much more marketable than the CC2 was around the same time-period, and they probably know it. There hasn't really been any other device to directly compete with it so far in this cycle -- this entire past year -- particularly the 15.6" model...

If a soft refresh happens, it'll be a first in the company's history as far as I know. Internal updates have always come with external ones.

Theory: It will have a lifespan more like the Companion 1 (about 2 - 2.5 years). The thing is, this device is still much more marketable than the CC2 was around the same time-period, and they probably know it. There hasn't really been any other device to directly compete with it so far in this cycle -- this entire past year -- particularly the 15.6" model...

If a soft refresh happens, it'll be a first in the company's history as far as I know. Internal updates have always come with external ones.

Click to expand...

That's a pretty reasonable theory. And yeah wacom are pretty slow to make changes to anything, especially as they're still basically the market leaders, and have been for so long... But this year there are actually a few contenders for the crown, especially the HP Zbook X2 - this is the the first device that I've ever seriously considered getting, over the Wacom MSP. I'll need to see the final price for their top model, but at the very least, people are starting to nip at their heels.

yeah now that i think about it, maybe we'll get an announcement in 2018, with a 2019 release of whatever else they might have in their pockets.

I agree.....Although I'm quite content with my MSP13........the HP Zbook X2.....is really the first product that directly competes with the MSP or CC2.....even more so then the Surface Pros or Samsung Products. Should my MSP13 conveniently fail me around time we get an MSP Refresh......(as my CC2 did)......I would certainly give the Zbook X2 one hell of a look before I let my credit card anywhere near the Wacom E-store again.

However......since the Zbook itself is using Wacom Tech......assuming the Zbook has been in development for at least the last few months......Wacom obviously knew about it well before any of us did......so I would have to imagine the MSP refresh won't be too far behind.

To which I wonder.......what form the MSP Refresh will take?
Will they just use the same base MSP form with upgraded internals? Will they carry over the design form of the current Cintiq line and eliminate the express keys altogether and include fold out feet instead of a stand? Or will they take a cue from the Zbook and Surface Pro and include an integrated Kickstand, removable keyboard cover, and express keys on both sides?

Another possibility.....given that the majority of Wacoms profits come from its competent sales to Samsung for the S-pen in the Note Phones....Should HP be able to push enough sales volumes of the ZBook....as with the S-Pen......if Wacoms sale of components to HP is more profitable then their own MSP sales.....Wacom may step out of the Tablet PC market completely and let the Zbook dominate the market....since a profitable Zbook would benefit Wacom just as much as HP.

I agree.....Although I'm quite content with my MSP13........the HP Zbook X2.....is really the first product that directly competes with the MSP or CC2.....even more so then the Surface Pros or Samsung Products. Should my MSP13 conveniently fail me around time we get an MSP Refresh......(as my CC2 did)......I would certainly give the Zbook X2 one hell of a look before I let my credit card anywhere near the Wacom E-store again.

However......since the Zbook itself is using Wacom Tech......assuming the Zbook has been in development for at least the last few months......Wacom obviously knew about it well before any of us did......so I would have to imagine the MSP refresh won't be too far behind.

To which I wonder.......what form the MSP Refresh will take?
Will they just use the same base MSP form with upgraded internals? Will they carry over the design form of the current Cintiq line and eliminate the express keys altogether and include fold out feet instead of a stand? Or will they take a cue from the Zbook and Surface Pro and include an integrated Kickstand, removable keyboard cover, and express keys on both sides?

Another possibility.....given that the majority of Wacoms profits come from its competent sales to Samsung for the S-pen in the Note Phones....Should HP be able to push enough sales volumes of the ZBook....as with the S-Pen......if Wacoms sale of components to HP is more profitable then their own MSP sales.....Wacom may step out of the Tablet PC market completely and let the Zbook dominate the market....since a profitable Zbook would benefit Wacom just as much as HP.

Click to expand...

yeah, I dunno about wacom and their customer service - I'm hearing so many horror stories, and even now, I'm having issues just replacing my damn cintiq 13HD cable, as it's gotten frayed.

you make a good point though - them learning about their opponents moves and products before us, might mean they'd be galvanized into doing better, and faster... maybe even knocking down prices a notch? I think they might follow the aesthetics of the new cintiq pro lines, just to make everything look uniform and cut down on costs of making radically different bodies for each of their products.

I don't think wacom would want to let go of the current near monopoly they have on the tablet business - I think they'll milk it and take the piss for as long as they can get away with, while licensing their tech. Eating their cake and having it, so to speak. it'll take a couple more generations of HP Zbook X2s and other cheaper but just as capable alternatives before Wacom makes real change, i think.